In the first 5 months of 2024, fruit and vegetable exports earned nearly 3 billion USD

Fruit and vegetable exports grow by double digits

According to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in May 2024, agricultural, forestry and fishery exports reached 5.06 billion USD, an increase of 11.2% compared to May 2023; of which, main agricultural products were 2.73 billion USD (up 14.3%). In the first 5 months, most commodity groups increased, so export turnover increased, reaching 24.14 billion USD. Contributing to this result were agricultural products of 13.11 billion USD, an increase of 27.7%; of which, fruits and vegetables alone earned 2.59 billion USD (up 28.1%).

Fruit and vegetable exports earn nearly 3 billion USD

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh - Chairman of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association - commented that Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export activities are forecasted to continue to be favorable in the coming time thanks to abundant domestic supply, increasing demand from traditional and potential markets, especially some fruits such as durian have entered the main harvest season, dragon fruit, pineapple, watermelon, mango, longan, lychee... will contribute to further growth for the Chinese market.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, currently, durian prices in China and domestically are decreasing significantly due to the beginning of the durian harvest season in Thailand and the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The price of Dona (Monthoong) durian is at 85,000 - 95,000 VND/kg and Ri6 is 65,000 - 70,000 VND/kg, down about half compared to the price in December 2023 of 150,000 - 180,000 VND/kg.

China increases purchases of Vietnamese durian

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, in April 2024 alone, China spent 204 million USD to buy Vietnamese durian, a figure 6.5 times higher than the same period last year. In total, in the first 4 months of 2024, the Chinese market spent more than 432 million USD to buy Vietnamese durian, an increase of 168% over the same period last year. Currently, China accounts for 92% of Vietnam's durian exports in 4 months, an increase of 8% over the same period last year.

The export price of durian in April decreased to 3,972 USD per ton. However, in the first months of the year, the price was high, so the average export price of durian in Vietnam in the first 4 months was 4,207 USD per ton.

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen - General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association - said that the reason for the sudden increase in durian export turnover in April was because Vietnamese goods were in season. In addition, exporting durian to China is more favorable due to cheap logistics costs. Vietnam has more opportunities because this year Thailand - the leading country in supplying durian - has seen a decrease in output and quality due to drought. In addition, this year Vietnam was granted double the growing area code compared to 2023, so export turnover increased sharply.

According to businesses exporting this product, currently, the durian consumption network in China has been expanded, so the number of people accessing it has increased. In addition, the quality of Vietnamese durian is increasingly delicious and cheap.

Regarding the Chinese market, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh informed that the demand for processed durian in China tends to increase because the price of durian is high, few people can afford to buy whole durian, while the price of processed durian is more affordable and suitable for the taste of young people. This could be a new market trend that we need to pay attention to.

Although the quality of Vietnamese durian has improved, businesses say it is still uneven, with pesticide residues in some areas requiring solutions. If Vietnam strengthens quality control, it could rise to the top of China’s export turnover and surpass Thailand in the future.

To boost fruit and vegetable exports, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh proposed to manage, inspect, and supervise the quality of fruit and vegetable processing. Local authorities and specialized agencies need to supervise the implementation of processes in the production process from the use of input materials, planting, care, to planning (monitoring and supervising the time of harvest, product quality when harvested by growing area codes) to ensure adequate quality, safety, and ease and convenience for traceability.

At the same time, the authorities in coordination with the locality need to inspect and monitor the local business situation from input materials to harvested products, especially for key products. Closely manage and monitor the brokers to prevent competition, price hikes and market disruption.

According to data from the Department of Crop Production (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), it is expected that by the end of 2024, the total area of ​​fruit trees nationwide will reach about 1.29 million hectares (an increase of about 20 thousand hectares). The total fruit output in the first 5 months of the year is about 4.429 million tons; the total output for the whole year will reach 13.506 million tons, an increase of about 3.4% compared to 2023.

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Cuong - Director of the Department of Crop Production informed that currently, the main harvest season of some fruit trees in the Mekong Delta such as mango, durian, jackfruit, grapefruit, longan, dragon fruit is entering the beginning of the harvest season, so the price has decreased. Specifically, the purchase price of durian is at 70,000 - 83,000 VND/kg, down from 37,500 - 60,000 VND/kg; the price of red-fleshed dragon fruit is 23,929 VND/kg, down 4,643 VND/kg, white-fleshed dragon fruit is 20,000 VND/kg, down 5,100 VND/kg. However, according to the assessment of dragon fruit production and export enterprises, in the future, the dragon fruit market will not have major fluctuations.

In the coming time, to open up the export market, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will continue to promote negotiations, remove technical and trade barriers, open up official exports of more agricultural products to traditional markets, major export markets (China, the United States, the EU, Russia, Brazil, Japan, Korea, etc.); new markets with great potential (markets of Halal Muslim countries, the Middle East, Africa, etc.); promote the early signing of the Protocol on the export of frozen durian and fresh coconut (Chinese market), etc.

Coordinate with embassies and trade offices in other countries to build channels for exchange, provide market information, increase promotion and advertising for opened products, and officially export products associated with diplomatic activities of the Government, ministries, branches and localities.

Control and limit the increase in area and output of some fruits that are growing rapidly and exceeding the planning (durian, etc.) through recommendations on growing area conditions, varieties, cultivation and harvesting processes, etc.; strengthen inspection and supervision of growing area codes and export packaging according to the requirements of the signed Protocol; continuously improve the system of national standards and national technical regulations to standardize harvesting, preliminary processing and product processing processes according to market requirements.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/5-thang-dau-nam-2024-xuat-khau-rau-qua-thu-ve-gan-3-ty-usd-323157.html